Amy Worden

Inquirer Staff Writer

In this, well, dog-eat-dog world of politics, politicians rarely get lauded for their heroism.

But one lawmaker's wife deserves kudos for her lifesaving action over the weekend.

State Sen. Rich Alloway (R., Franklin) and his wife Shannon, were on vacation at Assateague Beach in Maryland when he saw a woman lift a small lifeless animal out of the water.

Rich Alloway yelled over to his wife, asking her if she knew how to resuscitate a dog and to come quick, according to the Public Opinion of Chambersburg.

Shannon Alloway, a certified respiratory therapist who spent eight years as a veterinary technician, raced over to the dog, an 8-pound Maltese named Lexington, who by that time was surrounded by a crowd and crying children.

Alloway told the newspaper that his wife applied "mouth to snout resuscitation" to the dog whose lips and eyes were blue.

"I'd never seen that before. She did not flinch or pause for a moment," he said.

After less than 30 seconds of chest compressions and breaths, the dog started licking his mouth and sputtering. She flipped him upside down and more water came out.

Lexington was alive!

The dog's grateful owners put him into a boat and motored over to a veterinarian on Chincoteague Island.

The owners suspect that after they put the dog in the chilly water, a wave came over him and he had a seizure. He was wearing a life vest, the newspaper reported.

Worried about what would happen if your dog or cat was in a similar situation? Call your local American Red Cross chapter or check out their website. You can order a manual on pet first aid and the group also holds classes on pet CPR.

Not a bad skill to have, as Shannon Alloway so beautifully demonstrated.